Puzzle



D. M. WARREN Nov. 7, 1950 PUZZLE Filed Jan. 16, 1g4e Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics PUZZLE Donald M. Warren, La Fayette, Ind.

Application January 16, 1946, Serial No. 641,4;63

(Cl. 27315'Z) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in a puzzle construction, and more particularly to the type of puzzle commonly known as a jig-saw puzzle.

The object of the invention is to provide a puzzle particularly designed for juvenile use, and which puzzle embodies only a small number of large elements so that misplacement and loss thereof will not readily occur; to provide a puzzle of the character indicated which will provide for the matching of the parts in several ways to produce different pictures or designs; to provide a structure in which the parts will be effectively held together in assembled relation, and, in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved puzzle of the character indicated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein there is illustrated a puzzle embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating the entire puzzle structure, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views showing the same parts assembled in different ways to produce different pictures. v

The puzzle structure shown in the drawing consists of four square units respectively designated I, 2, 3 and 4, and a frame element 5.

These parts may be made of any suitable sheet material, such as fiber or paper board for the less expensive constructions. Each of the square units of the puzzle has one oppositely disposed pair of sides provided with under cut notches '66, and its other pair of oppositely disposed sides provided with ears 'I'! which are so formed as to fit into the notches fi 6- of one of the other units. The frame is also provided with under cut notches 8 in its inner edges, such notches also being adaptedto receive the ears i to interlock the respective square units and the frame.

Each of the square units are divided by imprinted lines 9 or the like, into four corner sections and each of the corner sections of each unit has imprinted thereon one-quarter of a picture or design or the like, each of the picture portions on each unit being different but adapted to be associated with a quarter picture or design portion on another of the square units. As shown in Fig. 2, the corner sections marked A of the limits I, 2, 3 and 4 are associated with each other to form a complete picture. In this assembled relationship of the units I, 2, 3 and 4 the illustrations or designs carried by the portions B, C and D of each unit do not match, and form no complete or intelligible picture or design. However, the units I, 2, 3 and i may be rearranged to cause the corner sections B of each unit to occupy the central area of the assembled units to form a different picture, as represented in Fig. 3. Similarly the sections C of the four units maybe associated to form a complete picture, and the sections D associated to similarly form a complete picture.

The interlocking keys or ears I and notches 6 serve to connect the four units in their assembled relationships so that the parts are effectively held together in whatever relationship they are assembled. The keys and notches are, of course, so positioned that the various sections will be properly' registered with each other to fit within the frame 5 with which the sections are also interconnected by the described keys and notches.

The frame 5 is particularly advantageous from a manufacturing standpoint in that when the puzzle is formed it may be cut by appropriately formed cutting knives which are pressed almost, but not quite, completely through the stock on which thevpuzzle is formed, slight bonds being left between the various parts to hold them in assembled sheet form relationship. The bonds are so slight that when it is desired to separate the parts, it may be done readily by merely pressdng the parts out of the frame and breaking the sections one from the other. Such slight bonding of the parts together nevertheless serves the function of facilitating packaging of the units in an envelope, or the like, and avoids considerable difiiculty which might otherwise be encountered in insuring the packaging of a complete set of the four diiferent units with each frame.

In one practical embodiment of thedescribed puzzle structure, the square sections are 4 inches square so that they are large enough to be easily handled by a very young child, and large enough to be not easily misplaced or lost. If desired, pictures or designs may be provided on both sides "of each unit so that each puzzle will provide eight different picture puzzles embodied in a single puzzle structure.

In the structure illustrated, the four square units each have one oppositely disposed pair of edges provided with the projecting ears I and its other oppositely disposed pair of edges provided with the recesses or notches 6 in such an arrangement that the ears I on the adjacent edges of the assembled units all project in the same direction circumferentially around the center of the assembled units.

In the illustrated puzzle, the arrangement is such that the ears project in a clockwise direction in two of their four picture forming positions (as shown in Fig. 2) and in a counterclockwise direction in the other two positions (as shown in Fig. 3). Three of the picture sections (A, D, and C) are applied to the units in such position as to form the same section of the picture of which each unit forms a part, i. e. the (11) upper left, (2)) upper right, (c) lower left, and (d) lower right section; the fourth picture section on each unit is applied so that the said sections respectively form the (a) lower right,

(1)) upper left, (0) upper right, and (d) lower left sections. Thus the rearranging of the sections to form three of the pictures requires merely the turning of each section about its own center one quarter of a turn while rearrangement to for-m the fourth picture involves both shifting .of the sections from one position to another and turning of the sections.

The described and illustrated arrangement of ears and notches permits variegated changing of the position of the sections while maintaining the interlockable relationship thereof in picture forming position.

Various changes in the described structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A puzzle structure of the class described, comprising four square sheet material units, each having its four corner sections provided with one quarter of an illustration, each corner of each unit being adapted to be associated with one corher of each of the other units to provide a complete illustration centrally of the assembled units, the illustrations on the other corners of each unit surrounding said complete illustration, and means interconnecting said units in each of their .four assembled'relationships, said means comprising ears projecting from one oppositely disposed pair -of edges of each unit, the other oppositely disposed pair of edges of each unit having notches of the same form as said ears, the ears and notchesbeing so arranged that in each picture forming relationship of the units, the adjacent edges of the assembled units will be interconnected by interfitting ears and notches, the ears projecting in the same direction circumferentially about the center of the assembled units into corresponding notches.

2. A puzzle structure of the class described, comprising four square sheet material units, each having its four corner sections provided with one quarter of an illustration, each corner of each unit being adapted to be associated with one corner of each of the other units to provide a complete illustration centrally of the assembled units, the illustrations on the other corners of each unit surrounding said complete illustration, and means interconnecting said unit in each of their four assembled relationships, said means comprising ears projecting from one oppositely disposed pair of edges of each unit, the other oppositely disposed pair of edges of each unit having notches of the same form as said ears, the ears and notches being so arranged that in each picture forming relationship of the units, the adjacent edges of the assembled units will be interconnected by interfittingjears and notches, the ears projecting in the same ,direction circumferentially about the center of the assembled units into corresponding notches and a frame surrounding said units, the inner edges of said frame bein'gprovided with notches adapt.- ed to receive the ears projecting from the outer edges of said units in each picture forming position thereof.

-' DONALD M. WARREN.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1 964,065 Snedeker July 12, 1910 r 1,702,505 Groves Feb-19, 1929 2,037,966 Dailey Apr. 21, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 484,259 Great Britain May 3, 1938 

